Why are these events not surprising...? Generations of self-serving politicians send successive generations of young men and women to war accompanied by promises that they will all be "looked after" and their contribution remembered... Instead, they misappropriate the retirement funds of the same soldiers, sailors and airmen, and trivialise their promises to look after them and their families in retirement. All this of course while blowing out the funds of the same politicians and public servants. And meanwhile in a hypocritical masterstroke, while the politicians from both sides of the aisle make a name for themsleves arguing about saying "sorry" for something they had no control over, they ignore the opportunity to meaningfully say sorry to the service personnel they stole from and restore the missing funds to their retirement plans. A hell of a way to reward loyalty and patriotism, and an ongoing lesson in the constantly exploited gulibility of the young men and women who believe that service to one's country in wartime is an honourable choice that will be fairly recognised. Good petition, worthy cause, needs max support...
What about the fact that in the early 70's that monies "surplus to requirements" were be paid back into consolidate revenue each from that time. How did this happen? The funds we had deducted and lent back to the government (at 1% interest rate) had in fact become "surplus to requirement." In fact, the government were recovering their contribution each year, and in fact not contributing at all. It didn't seem to worry them, then or now that WE should have been the beneficiaries, as the government had been using these monies at 1%!!
I fully support this petition as does my husband who is still a serving member after 36 years. We have been paying into it for all this time and have already seen the benefits from this scheme being decreased by the government in direct contrast to the massive increases to other public service superannuation funds, as well as the politician's own funds. It appears that the government wishes to penalise the military servicemen and women, and their families, instead of rewarding them for the years of service and effort they have given to Australia.
If my memory serves me well , I believe Mr Whitlam and his cronies removed $750 million from DFRB to make his budget look good.
GIVE SOME OF IT BACK!!!!!!
I remmber well when I was a kid if 17 earing apprentice wages, those blood sucki (9 pounds a fortnight, i think)ng mongrels takig a percentage for DFRDB. How can they possibly now say that was unfunded????
RAAF 1969-1993. DFRDB unfunded! Rubbish. Where did the 5% that was deducted from my pay for 23 years go? Into government coffers to use and misuse. The current decision is wrong. Its simple; change it.
26 Years Service in Australia, Malaya and Vietnam.
If the Government of the day does not provide good pensions, well indexed, to those who served in tha past then it should not be surprised if the next generations fail to enlist and serve today or in the future.
As an Accountant of 30 years and having looked after Defence Personnel during that time I believe that members contributed 5% of their income to the DFRDB for many years. This was pension not unfunded totally as claimed.
RAAF 1956-1982.Clearly Defence Personnel have funded in part to the DFRB scheme. It is incumbent for the government to redress this situation. submission is
I fully support this petition. We paid a solid 5.5% of salary for at least twenty years and usually a lot more, so we deserve a fair go! We gave service to our country and its governments, right or wrong, whether we agreed with them or not. Now comes a government's chance to honour their side of the bargain by rewarding our faithful service. If serving members see us let down, they in turn will expect to be let down if they serve on. They will see their best option is to quit early before they get "done" too.
I fully support this petition. What happened to the money from the DFRB? I seem to remember about 100 million being put into the RED scheme where the money was spent in the main on non essential work for people who were on unemployment benefits There is still evidence of this where they built a footpath from nowhere to nowhere at Fullerton Cove just outside of Stockton NSW. I have yet to see anyone use it.
I have heard my Dad talk with his ex-Army mates about pensions and how the Defence pensions have decreased over the years - but he has never complained (just like good soldiers). It's about time the Government treated their soldiers like the real heroes they are. Shame on you John Howard, shame...!
